Doggie wheelchair stolen in cruel prank

OTTAWA, Kan. (KCTV/CNN) - A Kansas dog with a degenerative disorder is the victim of a cruel joke.

Now her family is looking for answers.

It has been about one year since Sammy lost the use of her legs through a degenerative disorder, so her family got her a wheelchair, which has been a key part of her mobility.

This weekend she was the subject of a cruel prank.

"It started as just one foot dragging and now she has no use of back legs," said owner Lou Baker.

Lou just wanted to make her pet's life a little easier, which is why she bought the wheelchair for Sammy in October.

"She's our family companion. Been here a long time," said Lou.

But on Saturday morning, Lou's husband let Sammy out for some fresh air. About an hour later, they made a difficult discovery.

"She was just there by herself with none of the hardware on her so we knew someone had taken it off of her," said Lou.

The family called authorities and tried to make sense of what happened.

"I think it was someone thinking it was a funny prank and it wasn't funny at all. She was left laying on the cold ground and she can't get around," said Lou.

"Taking a dog's wheelchair that can barely get around is a pretty sick joke. She really needs that," said Keaton Baker.

After the family reported the theft, Lou decided to drive around her property on her way home from work. She found the wheelchair near a trail by her house, but is still upset that Sammy had to deal with this.